Knitting & Crochet Pattern Writing - B is for Bold

Welcome to my A to Z of pattern writing tips! Whether you're a knitting or crochet designer or a tech editor, these tips will help you improve your pattern writing skills, and refine your tech editing process.

Pattern Writing tips for Knitting & Crochet Designers:

Well-written patterns enhance your reputation, reduce customer queries, and also make your patterns more enjoyable to follow. These tips will help you elevate the quality of your instructions, and improve the overall experience for your customers.

Pattern Writing tips for Knitting & Crochet Tech Editors:

Tech editing goes beyond checking maths - it ensures clarity, consistency, and accuracy in a pattern. By refining your tech editing process, you’ll help designers create polished patterns that are easier for crafters to follow.

Why good Knitting & Crochet Pattern Writing matters

A well-structured pattern makes tech editing more efficient and ensures a smoother experience for both the editor and the end user. If your pattern is unclear, incomplete, or poorly formatted, your tech editor will first need to spend extra time figuring out what you intended, before they can check calculations, layout, or apply house style.

This additional work can:

• Increase the cost of tech editing.
• Delay the release of your pattern.
• Lead to miscommunication between you and your tech editor.

By submitting a well-organised and clearly written pattern, you allow your tech editor to focus on refining details rather than rewriting your instructions.

This results in a polished, professional pattern that is easier for customers to follow, and reduces potential queries or pattern corrections later on.

Let's continue with the letter B – Bold

Using Bold in Knitting & Crochet Pattern Writing - for Clarity & Accessibility

When writing a knitting or crochet pattern, clarity is key. One simple yet powerful way to improve readability, is by using bold text strategically. Bold formatting helps highlight essential information, therefore making patterns easier to follow and more accessible for a wider audience.

Why Use Bold in Pattern Writing?

1st Reason:

• Improves Readability
  Bold text naturally draws the eye, helping crafters quickly find important details. This is especially useful in long instructions where key points can get lost in a sea of text.

2nd Reason:

• Enhances Visual Accessibility
  Many crafters have varying levels of vision, and bold text increases contrast, making it easier to distinguish important sections. This can be especially helpful for those with dyslexia, vision impairments, or cognitive challenges that make processing large blocks of text difficult.

3rd Reason:

• Highlights Important Details
  Use bold for:
  • Stitch counts: "Repeat row 2 until you have 24 stitches."
  • Section headings: "Finishing Instructions"
  • Special instructions: "Work in back loops only."

4th Reason:

• Reduces Errors
  A well-structured pattern with bold highlights helps prevent mistakes. Using bold helps crafters to quickly locate stitch counts, repeats, and changes without re-reading full paragraphs.

How to Use Bold Effectively

• Use bold for section titles (e.g., Materials, Abbreviations, Instructions).
• Highlight stitch counts and repeats so they stand out at a glance.
• Avoid overusing bold, as too much can reduce its impact and make the text harder to read.
• Pair bold with bullet points for better organisation, especially in complex instructions.

Example of Bold in a Pattern

Instead of typing:
Repeat Row 2 until you reach 24 stitches. Work in back loops only for the next 5 rows. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Type this instead:

• Repeat Row 2 until you reach 24 stitches.
• Work in back loops only for the next 5 rows.
• Fasten off and weave in ends.

This small change makes instructions easier to scan and follow.

Final Thoughts

Bold text is an easy but effective way to improve pattern clarity and accessibility. By using it to highlight critical details, you help crafters read and follow your instructions with ease, thus reducing frustration and errors. Keep it simple, strategic, and consistent for the best results.

Do you use bold in your pattern writing? Let me know in the comments!

For more top pattern writing tips for knitting and crochet, see my posts here: Pattern Writing Tips

And here is a general post on The Craft Yarn Council website about pattern writing: How to write your own pattern

I have a great post about selling knitting and crochet patterns online for passive income: click here